Suffix Prefix Dictionary

Definitions of biological and medical affixes

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EUGENE M. MCCARTHY, PHD



Suffix Prefix Dictionary is the most comprehensive online dictionary of biological and medical prefixes and suffixes. It defines more biomedical prefixes and suffixes than any other online source, and provides examples of each (most examples are linked to their definitions in the biology dictionary on this site). The list is alphabetical, which lets you look terms up even if you're not sure about their exact spellings. The two indexes below, one for the prefix dictionary, and the other for the suffix dictionary, allow you to find prefix and suffix meanings by clicking on the first letter of the particular prefix or suffix you're looking for. You can also use the automated search engine, which searches the entire prefix and suffix dictionary.

PREFIXES STARTING WITH:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Finder for prefix definitions >> | Browse prefixes (A-J) >> | Browse prefixes (K-Z) >>

SUFFIXES STARTING WITH:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Finder for suffix definitions >> | Browse suffixes >>


Notice: The automated prefix and suffix finder has been moved to a separate web page. Please click here to access the finder at its new location.
Find the meanings of Greek and Latin roots >>

Find the meanings of biological terminology >>

Some common
prefixes:
Meanings of some
common prefixes:
Prefix for bad >>
Prefix for both >>
Prefix for distant >>
Prefix for equal >>
Prefix for feather >>
Prefix for finger >>
Prefix for fern >>
Prefix for foot >>
Prefix for fruit >>
Prefix for hand >>
Prefix for heart >>
Prefix for large >>
Prefix for naked >>
Prefix for not >>
Prefix for plant >>
Prefix for small >>
Prefix for wide >>
Prefix for wing >>
Prefix a >>
Prefix ab >>
Prefix ad >>
Prefix an >>
Prefix ambi >>
Prefix anti >>
Prefix bi >>
Prefix centi >>
Prefix dactyl >>
Prefix de >>
Prefix derm >>
Prefix dextro >>
Prefix glosso >>
Prefix im >>
Prefix in >>
Prefix infra >>
Prefix inter >>
Prefix iso >>
Prefix macro >>
Prefix mal >>
Prefix mega >>
Prefix meso >>
Prefix meta >>
Prefix micro >>
Prefix oculo >>
Prefix olfact >>
Prefix onco >>
Prefix ortho >>
Prefix plasto >>
Prefix pre >>
Prefix pro >>
Prefix retro >>
Prefix rhizo >>
Prefix sinistro >>
Prefix sub >>
Prefix super >>
Some common
suffixes:
Meanings of some
common suffixes:
Suffix for affected by >>
Suffix for ape >>
Suffix for attachment >>
Suffix for attraction >>
Suffix for bacterium >>
Suffix for cell >>
Suffix for cutting >>
Suffix for condition >>
Suffix for disease >>
Suffix for enzyme >>
Suffix for human >>
Suffix for killer >>
Suffix for knowledge >>
Suffix for pain >>
Suffix for leaf >>
Suffix for plant >>
Suffix for tree >>
Suffix for woman >>
Suffix ac >>
Suffix agog >>
Suffix anthropus >>
Suffix asthenia >>
Suffix bacter >>
Suffix cardia >>
Suffix cide >>
Suffix clast >>
Suffix coel >>
Suffix cule >>
Suffix cyst >>
Suffix cyte >>
Suffix dendron >>
Suffix derm >>
Suffix dont >>
Suffix duct >>
Suffix dynia >>
Suffix facient >>
Suffix form >>
Suffix iasis >>
Suffix philia >>
Suffix phobia >>
Suffix pedic >>
Suffix phyll >>
Suffix ptile >>
Suffix pathy >>
Suffix rhiza >>
Suffix graph >>
Suffix sclerosis >>
Suffix graph >>
Suffix sis >>
Suffix some >>
Suffix stat >>
Suffix tactic >>
Suffix therm >>
Suffix topic >>

What is an Affix?

Suffix Prefix Dictionary is a dictionary of affixes (prefixes and suffixes) used by biologists and physicians in constructing scientific names and terminology. In general, they are either of Latin or Greek derivation. An affix is a letter or series of letters attached to the beginning or end of a word, word base, or phrase to produce a derivative word with a new meaning. For example, in the word termitary, the suffix -ary, meaning connected with or belonging to, is attached to the end of the word termite (after dropping the e). So a termitary, a mound where termites live, is a place belonging to termites.

In general, the prefixes and suffixes used in constructing scientific terminology and med terms are either of Latin or Greek derivation. In constructing these terms, nearly always, a Latin prefix goes with a Latin suffix, and a Greek prefix goes with a Greek suffix. Word parts derived from proper names constitute an important exception.

Proper Names as Prefixes

In scientific names it is also common to use geographic and personal names to form prefixes and suffixes. Examples of geographic prefixes are altaicus (= residing in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia), europaeus (= European), anatoliensis (= occurring in Anatolia). An example of a personal name used as a prefix is rogersii (= of Rogers). Suffixes can also be derived from proper names (e.g., "-watt" in megawatt, or "-dalton" in kilodalton), but this is more unusual. Suffix Prefix Dictionary does not, of course, include the innumerable proper names used as prefixes in the construction of scientific names, but users should consider this possibility when they fail to find a particular prefix here in the dictionary.

Two Spelling Rules:

When a suffix beginning with a consonant is added to a root or prefix ending with a consonant, a vowel, usually -o-, is added as a connector.

Biological terminology and med terms of Greek or Latin origin ending in -a regularly drop the -a before a suffix beginning with a vowel:

pleura + -al = pleural
urea + -ic = ureic
lamina + -ectomy = laminectomy

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